Bucks are rutting-atleast where I'm at!

[patton1]

Just got this picture behind my neighbor's house.  There are two bucks that have been hanging out right here for the last 2 days chasing does in and out of the woods.  They were right behind the doe in this picture.  The second buck is right behind the first with his nose down.  I just got a new camera today so I'm trying to figure it out.  They won't sit still long enough for me to snap some shots.  I'm going to try and get some more.

[Martinhunter]

Oh ya he's sniffin tail alright!

[sivart33]

ya had a blakie smelling my doe pee i left out the other day, spoooked him though and not doing gun season

[lokidog]

The buck I shot on Decatur Is was quite rutty and following a doe when I shot him.  Seems about two weeks early this year.

[180-GRAIN]

I have seen alot of does around the Arlington area lately and no bucks seem to be courting yet. Must be kicking in around certain areas, my buddy said the deer in the unit he hunts have had swelled necks and have been rutting since the rifle opener, going down there for the last 3 days of the season.

[Pathfinder101]

Saw a nice 4x4 yesterday (on private land  ) that was acting pretty rutty.  Nose to the ground, sniffing tail.  Does were having none of it though.  I think they're a month out from gettin' any...
He wasn't completely swollen either though.

[patton1]

These does didn't seem to be having it either.  There are 2 younger bucks (the ones that were chasin today) and one old guy who are resident bucks.  I think the old guy has 5 on one side and his other side is broken off about 3-4 inches above his head.  He looks like he has seen better days.  Yesterday the old guy and one of the younger bucks were out there with a couple of does sniffing.  About an hour later the old guy was laying down right next to one of the does.  It might just be the younger ones right now but they were definately trying to get some action.  Pretty cool to watch right behind our house.  Too bad I live on base.  These bucks will die of old age.

[rasbo]

If they are rutting in my area,they must be done and smoking a cigarette somewhere in bed..cause Ive seen zero movement on deer except for at night..

[Cougeyes]

Noticed this today as well, young bucks were chasing the does all around and doin some sniffin.

[billythekidrock]

It is definately spotty where I am at. Saw quite a few does and no bucks. In other areas I see more sign and some rubs.

[julzzz]

saw a nice 2 pt blackie chasin tail on private property today at 1:00.

[bearclawtommy]

right on!

[highside74]

That's pre-rut action with the young buck's trying to figure out what the heck is going on inside them right now. The older buck's will hang back until it's time to do there thing. Still fun to watch.

[fly4fish]

They always start here in the SE about the 20th. At least the bucks are ready.  That is why I can't understand why they WA fish and game have the rifle season so late.  Mule deer should only be hunted during the rut with a limited entry tag in my own opinion.

[Pathfinder101]

According to a buddy of mine who is a bio, the rut is based on photoperiod (basically the time of day the sun goes down/number of minutes of daylight on a given day).  When I heard that I called BS and said, "Then why do they rut "harder" in cold weather ?"  He said "They don't.  The does move more in cold weather, so the bucks appear to be rutting harder.  In actuality, it is the does moving around in search of food that causes the bucks to appear to be rutting more actively, the does are on the move, and the bucks are moving from doe to doe and group to group, checking them."